The Bell UH-1, better known as the Huey , gained fame with the American Armed Forces in the 1960s during the Vietnam War. It quickly became an indispensable part of their modern battlefield equipment through rescue operations, troop transport and armed escort. With the introduction of the heavy machine-gun and rocket pod armament, it was often nicknamed the Gunship . The first Huey undertook its maiden flight on 22 October 1956. In March 1962 the first machines were sent into service in South Vietnam where they were initially used only for medi-vac flights and as a multi-purpose helicopter.